Paratactic mosaic is a compositional method in poetry characterized by the juxtaposition of discrete, often fragmentary images, clauses, or ideas without explicit logical connectors (such as conjunctions or subordinating syntax), resulting in a collage-like structure that invites the reader to infer relationships; rooted in parataxis—a hallmark of imagist and modernist poetics—this technique fosters ambiguity, multiplicity of meaning, and a sense of immediacy, exemplified in Ezra Pound’s “In a Station of the Metro,” where two stark images coexist without explanation, generating resonant emotional and symbolic interplay.

Stanzas arranged side-by-side without subordination. Modernist technique. Related to parataxis. Tip: No hierarchy between sections; reader assembles meaning from juxtaposed pieces.